How did we get to the point where Natasha and Josh are getting married?

Well, once upon a time in a land called Westeros there was an Iron Throne…

Ok, maybe we should fast forward a bit and start with how Natasha and Josh met.

In July, 2008 Natasha was an ambitious ad sales executive for Variety, the iconic entertainment trade publication that would go on to discover that the Internet existed several years later.

Josh was a smut peddler comedy executive who spent his days watching dumb videos on YouTube and creating even dumber videos for a doomed startup called Comedy.com.

This led the two of them to the Montreal Comedy Festival to do “business.” On their first day at the festival they met at a conference panel, said hello, and then went on about their lives.

But the next night, in a hotel bar at approximately 2 am, they ran into each other again amidst a crowd of drunken comedians and drunken-er comedy groupies who were hanging out after a night of shows. They struck up a conversation, had some drinks, hung out for at least an hour or two, and then…exchanged business cards and went on about their lives.

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Montreal may be a romantic city, but it wasn’t that night for these two.

Upon returning to Los Angeles, weeks went by and they each went back about their own business. Then, one day, Natasha was browsing her epic business card collection and came across Josh’s card. Always looking to make a sale, she dialed him up and left him a voicemail to reconnect.

He ignored it.

She called again. He ignored it again.

You see, Josh doesn’t really check his voicemails – especially his work voicemails – because he knew nobody could possibly call him about anything important. After all, if the penis costume they needed for a big video shoot wasn’t going to be ready in time that’s the kind of important info he would have gotten via text.

Meanwhile, Natasha couldn’t believe Josh didn’t respond to her. Didn’t he know who she was? She’s Natasha Gerdau!

So Natasha tried a different tactic and emailed Josh. This time, he responded, claimed he never got the voicemail, and agreed to meet her for a business lunch.

Natasha figured this was just another business lunch like the ones she had every day. Josh, on the other hand, HATED business lunches but kinda dug Natasha so he went to the lunch with other plans in mind.

Sure enough, the soon-to-be-couple had a great time at lunch. They chatted about everything but him buying an ad in Variety.

Then, just as they finished their entrees, Natasha reached under the table and…whipped out a giant sales proposal.

Josh stopped her in her tracks, barely containing his laughter. Natasha looked at him, confused.

“Just so you know – there’s no way I’m ever going to buy an ad from you. Our company’s probably going to fold before the ad would even run,” he said. “But, it looks like you’ve got quite a presentation here so I can’t wait to see it. Fire away!”

Natasha was shocked and slightly offended, but still determined to get the sale so she launched into her presentation.

When it was over, Josh politely declined and the two walked to the valet stand to get their cars. It was there that Josh made a sales pitch of his own and asked Natasha out on an actual date – to an underground comedy club that had a show in a basement theater at midnight on a Thursday night.

Now it was Natasha’s turn to decline a proposal.

But, Josh countered with an offer of an early dinner and 8 pm comedy show on a Friday night at the Hollywood Improv.

And she said yes.

That wound up being their first real date – several months after the moment they met – and it wound up leading to an amazing relationship.

Years later – this past August to be exact – Josh surprised Natasha and took her back to the same restaurant where they first had lunch, got down on one knee, and handed her a proposal of his own. One that came with a ring.

She said yes.

And that’s how this happened. (It’s also why you have to make a trip to San Diego now for a wedding on October 1st.)

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